From Silicon Valley tech expert to the top ranks of real estate, Alan Wang is defined by his relentless drive, his can-do mindset, and his profound belief in living life on his own terms. Growing up in a hardworking, immigrant family in the Bay Area, Alan learned the value of perseverance and hard work early on.

“My parents did all that they could to put my sister and I through school and have a fighting chance to pursue the American dream,” Alan notes. “I’ve been working since I was 15 and a half years old, and I have never stopped.”

Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, Alan earned an undergraduate degree in Business Operations & Management Information Systems from Santa Clara University and a Master of Business Administration from UC Berkeley. It was during his college years that he learned one of the most valuable lessons in his life. While he struggled academically in high school, he learned to take ownership of his achievements in college.

“I was living for other people and not myself and too prideful to ask for help when I needed it. When I got to college, I came to the realization that my education and achievements were for me and no one else. Once I shifted to that mindset, I started to see more success in my life,” reflects Alan.

After graduation, Alan went on to work for prestigious companies such as Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems, Google, and LinkedIn, in roles such as Software Engineering, Project/Program Management, and Business Development Manager.

Despite his success, Alan’s 14-year career in the tech industry was overshadowed by instability, prompting him to always have a backup plan. “I was laid off from my first job and within a month of joining Cisco Systems, which was considered a safe company at the time, they had their first layoff in history,” Alan recalls.

In addition to the instability, Alan often felt limited by scant growth opportunities. “There was always a ceiling for growth, and you were always at the whim of your most recent manager to get the next progression in your career,” he explains. “I didn’t like having someone else dictate whether I was worthy of a certain role or position.”

The turning point came when Alan bought his first home and noticed gaps in the real estate industry. While he notes that his REALTOR® was nice, the process lacked the speed, communication, tenacity, and consultative approach that was expected of him as a tech professional. “I knew I could offer a higher level of service,” Alan says.

Obtaining his real estate license in 2003, Alan made it his mission to raise the bar of service in the industry. Today, as the Founder of Keller Williams Santa Clara Valley and the Alan Wang Realty Group, a Top Ranked Team in the Nation by Real Trends, Alan’s team prioritizes communication, consultation, strategy, and attention to detail with the goal of protecting both buyers and sellers.

“We take everything we have seen go wrong over 21 years and apply our microscope on every home to make sure our clients aren’t walking into red flags. It's our job to protect them. For me, every update we give to the client is important and every detail matters, whether in a disclosure or listing.”

While Alan has achieved much success in real estate, he notes that failure, and learning to embrace his failure, was essential. “I failed a lot when everyone around me was succeeding. But I’ve learned more from my failures than my successes,” he says.

For Alan, success is about balancing professional achievements with personal commitments. He subscribes to the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, finding fulfillment at the intersection of passion, skill, and contributing to the greater good. “Success to me is being present for my family and making a positive impact on my clients’ lives,” he explains. Alan’s greatest achievements include never missing his children’s games and maintaining the tradition of family dinners with his wife, Katie, and children, Ava, Emalyn, and Reed.

Outside all their kids’ activities, Alan and his family love traveling to different countries and sampling some of the world’s best cuisines. Alan is also an avid cyclist, cycling 40-60 miles a week with his friends in the neighborhood. He also loves watching movies and sports, especially the 49ers, Warriors, Giants, and Sharks and he could sit in a movie theatre for hours; his record is 4 movies in one day.

As Alan reflects on his professional career, it’s clear that his values and dedication extend deeply to his clients. “I care from the bottom of my heart about each and every one of our clients,” Alan emphasizes. “Our customers have been built over 21 years one family at a time, one referral at a time, and one dream achieved at a time. Our customers become part of our real estate family for life, and we have a deep care and respect for each and every one of them.”

This heartfelt approach to his profession ensures that Alan will continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of his clients and community, building a legacy of trust, expertise, and genuine care.